Poke is all the rage now. And why shouldn’t it be? It’s healthy, delicious, and is the perfect lunch option for any busy Washingtonian. Check out these three, chic, easy spots to get your poke fix.
First, for those of you not aware, "poke" is a traditional Hawaiian dish served in a salad or bowl format, and featuring raw fish as the main ingredient. You can often find poke listed as an appetizer on menus, especially at Hawaiian, Japanese, or Asian fusion restaurants. The spots listed here are poke-specific, meaning that poke is all they serve, and each of them is a fast-casual establishment.
1920 L Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20036
What started as a food truck, catering, and pop-up business has now become a full-fledged eatery due to its delicious dishes and quality service. Abunai really started the poke trend in Washington, D.C., bringing the taste of Hawaii to the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic. The restaurant is mostly frequented by lunch-goers who work in the downtown area and is the perfect spot to get your fish, veggies, and flavor all in one place.
Abunai Poke allows you to pick from their
signature bowls or
customize your own. If you’re all about the garlic, try out the Garlic Ahi. If spice is more your thing, taste Spicy Salmon, which is full of yummy sauces. They also have a vegetarian version with tofu, for those who love the idea of poke but can’t eat fish (or can’t stand the idea of raw fish). And, of course, there’s also the signature Abunai bowl with ahi tuna topped with a special in-house abunai sauce.
If you choose to make your own, you can pick a base of rice or a spring mix salad, one to two proteins, veggies, sauce, and toppings to finish it off. Prices are pretty typical for D.C, averaging around $12 an entrée.
Don’t want to wait in what can sometimes be a lengthy line? You can order online and pick up in the store, skipping the wait. And if you have an event for which poke would be perfect, Abunai still has
catering services.
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806 H Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001
Poke Papa is another very popular option for poke, located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, right off the busy Chinatown. The restaurant serves Hawaiian-inspired dishes and is also busiest at lunch time. If you enjoy your poke bowls more extensive and topped to the brim, this spot is the place to go.
You may pick from an array of signature bowls or make your own. The Volcano with spicy tuna topped with jalapeño, scallion, masago, cilantro, sweet shoyu, and lava sauce is a must. If you like to mix your tuna and salmon, go for the K-Pop Bop, and if you just can’t stomach raw fish but love the rest of the ingredients, you can get The Chicken Gai.
Customizable bowls are a similar process to Abunai Poke, but with a much larger menu of options. You can view the full menu
here, where you also have the option of pre-ordering online.
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900 F Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20004
What makes Poki District different than the rest is its beachy vibe, its focus on healthy options, and the fact that the whole
menu is customizable. Also situated in the Chinatown area, this place attracts tourists and locals alike.
While you can always get rice for your base, they also offer zucchini noodles, which is both a delicious and healthy option, perfect for those of us trying to maintain our 2018 body goals. You also get tons of protein options, with different portion sizing. The ahi tuna and salmon are the most popular, but the yellowtail and spicy tuna are also excellent. And for the non-fish-eating folks, they’ve got tofu and chicken.
After your base and proteins, you can load up on toppings and pick a sauce. There are over 15 topping options, and all are included (except the avocado), so get (almost) everything if you want! And if all that isn’t enough for you, Poki District has an additional crunchy section on the menu, which is self-serve. Things off the crunchy table include roasted seaweed, garlic crisp, and sesame seeds.
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Have you tried any of these poke hot spots? Let us know in the comments below!
